Electronically active π-conjugated polymers are of special interests in the field of a supramolecular optoelectronic device due to the fact that regulated nano- or micro-sized structures can be prepared by taking advantage of their self-assembly capability to form intra-chain stacking through π-π interactions (see [J. P. Hill, W. Jin, A. Kosaka, T. Fukushima, H. Ichihara, T. Shimomura, K. Ito, T. Hashizume, N. Ishii, and T. Aida, Science, 304, 1481 (2004)]).
One of such conjugated polymer structures is a one-dimensional (1D) nano or microwire obtained by self-assembly of hexa-peri-hexabenzocoronene (HBC) derivatives which are discotic liquid crystal conjugated polymers (see [M. D. Watson, F. Jäckel, N. Severin, J. P. Rabe, and K. Müllen, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 126, 1402 (2004)]).
In addition, there has been reported a method of preparing several nano-sized, self-assembled graphite tubes by way of controlling in a solution the π-π stacking of amphiphilic HBC derivatives (see [W. Jin, T. Fukushima, M. Niki, A. Kosaka, N. Ishii, and T. Aida, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 102, 10801 (2005)]).
However, the conventional methods mentioned above have the problem that they are not appropriate for the formation of a high-quality single-crystalline structure. Further, when the conventional self-assembled products prepared in a solution are applied to an electronic device, it is hard to match them in line with the desired orientation required therein, and it becomes difficult to maintain a regulated array over a large area.